I am trying to find out how to host an ISAPI DLL in Azure. In addition to the DLL, I'll need to deploy supporting files in subdirectories (javascript & css files). And two of these subdirectories can have their contents changed by requests handled by the DLL, so I need to ensure that the account executing the extension has write permission for these.
It would seem that the key to all of this is using a startup task to call appcmd to script all the IIS changes somehow, and I think I need to do the following:-
Deploy my ISAPI DLL and supporting files with my ASP.NET website
Create a startup task which will call a batch file utilizing appcmd.exe to do the following:-
Create a dedicated app pool with its managed pipeline mode set to Classic, and using a known user account
Create an IIS application pointing to the directory where my ISAPI dll resides
Ensure the application is configured to allow unknown ISAPI extensions
Alter the permissions of the required subdirectories so the user account associated with the app pool has write access
I've only just started exploring Azure, so my experience with it is very thin on the ground. Is what I'm hoping to achieve actually achievable? And if so, am I on the right track with regards to the steps required? They mimic what I need to do if I'm setting up this ISAPI DLL in the traditional IIS environment I'm used to dealing with, but please let me know if the rules are different with Azure.
Looks like a good sequence, however, the startup tasks actually run before IIS is completely configured. The 'OnStart' event in the RoleEntryPoint is called after IIS is set up, so it's probably easier to use the IIS application that Azure creates for you, and reconfigure it to include your ISAPI stuff.
Well the only thing bothering me here is that you're modifying data on the 'deployment drive' (E: for that matter). You shouldn't be doing this.
Instead, think of an other solution. You could create a LocalResource holding your javascript and CSS files. Then, when your role starts (Richard has a valid point about startup tasks), use ServerManager class to do the following:
Register the ISAPI dll
Add 2 virtual directories under the website created by Azure and point them to the LocalResource.
Modify the code of your ISAPI dll to modify JS/CSS files in the LocalResource
When developing in Web/WorkerRoles, you need to keep in mind that you should only manipulate files in a LocalResource.
Related
In my code (which has worker role) I need to specify a path to a directory (third party library requires it). Locally I've included folder into project and just give full path to it. However after deployment of course I need a new path. How do I confirm that whole folder has been deployed and how do I determine a new path to it?
Edit:
I added folder to the role node in visual studio and accessed it like this: Path.Combine(Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("RoleRoot"), "my_folder");
Will this directory be used for reading and writing? If yes, you should use a LocalStorage resource. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/articles/cloud-services-configure-local-storage-resources/ shows how to use this.
If the directory is only for reading (ie. you have binaries or config files there), then you can use the %RoleRoot% environment variable to identify the path where your package was deployed to, then just append whatever folder you refernced in your project (ie. %RoleRoot%\Myfiles).
I'd take a slightly different approach. Place the 3rd party package into Windows Azure blob storage, then during role startup, you can download/extract it and place the files into the available Local storage (giving it whatever permissions the app needs). Then leverage that location from your application via the same local storage configuration entry.
This should help you reduce the size of your deployment package as well as give you the ability to update the 3rd party components without completely redeploying your solution. And by leveraging it on startup, you can guarantee that the files will be there in case the role instance gets torn down and rebuilt.
I have a brilliantly designed app_offline.htm file that I'd like to display on my site periodically when I'm doing things like backing up the DB. On a server with a real file system, this wouldn't be a problem: I'd just copy app_offline.htm to the my app's root, and IIS will work its magic and redirect all requests to this file.
However, I'm using Azure, so there's no real file system and there's no easy way move files around from one location to another.
How I can I make app_offline.htm play nicely with Azure?
I figured I'd add this, I haven't seen it mentioned yet. You can actually do this via web publish from Visual Studio (or WebMatrix) as well, just put app_offline.htm in the root of your project - the same level as your main web.config. When done, just rename it and redeploy to go back online. 2 clicks - easy.
The manual option is to drop it into your /site/wwwroot via FTP.
A little personal secret, none of your site files will be accessible, style sheets etc. So put your includes into an azure blob container, and viola.
Actually there is a real file system, as each VM instance runs on Windows 2008 Server (SP2 or R2 SP1). To see this for yourself, enable Remote Desktop for your deployment and connect to a running instance.
Knowing this, you should be able to set up a mechanism to perform a file-copy of your app_offline.htm to your app root based on some type of administrative command. You'll just need to make sure each of your web role instances perform this action.
David has provided you with a good answer. However, you might be missing out on what Azure can do for you. You should be able to virtually eliminate down time with Azure by running multiple instances and using SQL Azure which is triple backed up for you. You can also backup SQL Azure using http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff951624.aspx
We're talking about a simple webapp.
So I have a file called "modulev2.cgi" which is part of a trusted 3rd party online payment company. This file has to be put in a folder named "cgi-bin". For windows IIS environnement the file is renamed "modulev2.exe" and put in the same directory. This is what the documentation says.
Module is called as this :
FORM ACTION=../cgi-bin/modulev2.exe METHOD=post
with a bunch of parameters. It should not download when called of course but execute.
And indeed it does work in my dedicated server, provided the "cgi-bin" folder and the file in have "execute" setting level in IIS.
So to the point, would I be able to set the rights to execute to this file in Windows Azure ? If yes, how to script such a process ?
Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks !
The best way to do this is to script it out locally against your IIS using appcmd.exe. You want to add your CGI handler programmatically. By default, IIS in Windows Azure is already running CGI/Fast-CGI, so you don't have to install it, it should be ready. I think you need to add it to the CGI restriction list and add your handler mappings.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc732851(WS.10).aspx
Once you have a .cmd file that will correctly configure your local IIS settings, you can use that as the basis for a Startup task in Windows Azure to bootstrap the role.
http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Cloud+Cover/Cloud-Cover-Episode-31-Startup-Tasks-Elevated-Privileges-and-Classic-ASP
http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Cloud+Cover/Cloud-Cover-Episode-34-Advanced-Startup-Tasks-and-Video-Encoding
I use NLog for logging and now I'm trying to also use it for my SharePoint solution.
How do I instruct WSPBuilder to include NLog.config in WSP and place it in the same folder as solution dll?
EDIT:
Okay, another option is to put it as Web.nlog in SharePoint 80 directory.
Do I need a separate feature for this? What should I write in elements.xml?
I don't think this can't be done - I assume for security reasons.
DLLs can only be deployed to GAC (signed assemblies only) or to the bin directory of the web application (deployed via the solution manifest, along with any required CAS policies).
If you want extra files alongside the assembly in the bin directory, you'll need to copy them manually.
Does NLog.config need to be a separate file, or can the settings be integrated into the web.config file? If you can integrate the settings into the web.config file, you can add a feature receiver and write the necessary settings during the FeatureActivated or FeatureInstalling event to web.config using SPWebConfigModifications (just google for it). You should also make sure to remove the settings in FeatureDeactivating or FeatureUninstalled event.
You should also take a look here :
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee413935.aspx
I would also ask these questions :
Is the configuration the same for all the farm ? Only one web application ?
Can you programmaticaly specify NLog configuration ?
Depending on your answers, I will suggest one or more solutions.
The disadvantages with the web.config are
Configuration is deployed on all SharePoint servers (the feature take care of that, but you have to keep that in mind in case of inconsistant behavior)
If you want to modify settings there is no easy way
Each time you modify settings, it will recycle application pool.
I am aware that any change to ANY file in the BIN directory will trigger an application restart in IIS. Are there any other "special" cases where changing a file or moving a file in any other directory will trigger an app restart?
I know this is a very old post, but may be helps someone:
See this: http://programming360.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-causes-application-restart.html
ASP.net run-time environment implements a good deal of checks and automatically restarts an application if any of the following scenarios occur:
The maximum limit of dynamic page compilations is reached.
The physical path of the Web application has changed, or any
directory under the Web application folder is renamed.
Changes occurred in global.asax, machine.config or web.config in the
application root, or in the Bin directory or any of its
subdirectories.
Changes occurred in the code-access security policy file, if one
exists. Too many files are changed in one of the content directories.
(Typically, this happens if files are generated on the fly when
requested.)
Changes occurred to settings that control the restart/shutdown of the
ASP.NET worker process. These settings are read from machine.config
if you don't use Windows 2003 Server with the IIS 6.0 process model.
If you're talking full advantage of IIS 6.0, an application is
restarted if you modify properties in the Application Pools node of
the IIS manager.
If you change the web.config you app domain should also be reloaded and assemblies flushed.